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THE BLOG

06/07/2006 04:31 am ETUpdated
May 25, 2011

Republicans Buy Election

By Rick Jacobs

If that title does not sound new, it isn't. I write this morning from the Busby for Congress campaign office in San Diego where it looks like Francine Busby will have gotten about seventeen points over Democratic registration here. As of now, it looks like her opponent, Brian Bilbray, will go to Congress to replace Duke Cunningham, now safely in jail.

While Francine will not take this seat for now, the result is nevertheless quite stunning. Of over $15 million spent in this race, the Republicans put up $10 million in an otherwise "safe" Republican seat. They will not have those $10 miliion to spend in marginal seats. They had to defend a district that was gerrymandered for them and even then they nearly lost it.

For those of us who worked, contributed and hocked our friends for money for this race, celebrate. We did not send Francine to Congress, but we forced the Republicans to fight to keep what they were sure was theirs. The rest of the campaign season is up for grabs. Progressives can win across the country and take the hard right wing, that has brought us corruption not seen since the early part of the last century, to task for endangering Ameica, losing American lives in a desert far away and for raising oil prices to previously unimaginable levels.

Ten million dollars to keep a "safe seat." What happens when they have to fight a marginal seat? If we stand firm and do not waiver, history will change for the better. Give up hope for change, and give up America. I, for one, will never give up, especially now when the wind is at our back.